CAMBRIDGE, MA and CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand, Wednesday 21 September 2011 - Nanotechnology instrument manufacturer Izon Science officially opened the company’s new U.S. headquarters in Cambridge, Massachusetts today to further support their expanding client base in 23 countries. The new office is located at One Kendall Square in Cambridge.

Hans van der Voorn, Executive Chairman of Izon Science, said, “Locating our U.S. headquarters in Cambridge will allow us to work directly with our customers and partners in the U.S. We’ve located ourselves amongst a thriving life sciences community, which is also the premier academic community in the world. Being located in Cambridge allows us to share research ideas, build relationships, and develop new opportunities and products, both within Massachusetts and the rest of the U.S.”

“Thanks to our investments in education, innovation and infrastructure, Massachusetts is a great place for international life sciences companies to do business,” said Governor Deval Patrick. “Our delegation met with Izon at the BIO International Convention this past June, and we welcome the company’s decision to establish their U.S. headquarters here in Massachusetts. Their arrival here will create jobs and further strengthen our innovation economy.”

Dr. Susan Windham-Bannister, Ph.D., President & CEO of the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center spoke at today’s ribbon-cutting event, along with Robert Coughlin, President and CEO of MassBio, and Ken Brown, Executive Director of the Massachusetts Office of International Trade and Investment. At the event Izon also sponsored an Inter-University Nanotechnology Measurement Championship between Harvard University, MIT, Boston University and the University of Massachusetts. Contestants raced each other to accurately measure a complex set of nanoparticles in real time.
“Massachusetts is a center for innovation in science and technology, and Izon’s decision to locate here attests to the strength of our life sciences workforce and the opportunities to partner with leading companies and academic institutions,” said Windham-Bannister. “It also speaks to the importance of not resting on our laurels. We need to continue to reach out to outstanding life sciences companies around the world and invite them to Massachusetts. They strengthen our life sciences cluster with their presence.”

“Izon choosing Massachusetts for their U.S. Headquarters is a testament to the Commonwealth’s proactive efforts to attract companies from around the globe,” said Brown. “I welcome Izon to the growing and vibrant international community hiring here in Massachusetts.”

“We are pleased to welcome Izon as they continue their growth and expansion as a leading nanotechnology instrument manufacturer,” said Coughlin. “Izon is yet another example of the strength of the Massachusetts cluster to bring together partners from around the world and across the life sciences spectrum to collaborate on the next generation of treatments and cures.”

New Zealand-based Izon Science is the developer of the portable qNano and qViro instruments with unique size-tunable nanopores. The instruments offer improvements over previously available techniques and are advancing research in a number of fields including drug delivery, hematology, biomedical diagnostics, and vaccine development.
For more information on Izon see http://www.izon.com

Further Information:

Hans van der Voorn

Executive Chairman

Izon Science

Phone: + 64 21 463 399

Email: hans@izon.com

Sandra Lukey

Shine Group

Phone: + 64 21 2262 858

Email: sandra@shinegroup.co.nz

Angus McQuilken

Massachusetts Life Sciences Center

Phone: 617-921-7749

Email: amcquilken@masslifesciences.com

Sarah MacDonald

MassBio

Phone 617-674-5115

Email: sarah.macdonald@massbio.org

Elizabeth Steele

MOITI

Phone 617-838-9447

Email: elizabeth.steele@state.ma.us

About Izon Science:

Izon Science has developed the world’s first nanopore based measurement system available for general use. Izon’s instruments are used for precise measurement and analysis of individual particles across a wide range of scientific fields including bionanotechnology, nanomedicine, vaccinology, microbiology, biomedical research, environmental science, and particle based nanoscience. Izon originated in New Zealand and now sells its products in 23 countries. It has its European headquarters in Oxford, UK and is about to establish its US headquarters in Cambridge, MA.